Chapter 303. Pirates of the South Sea (1)

Not just anyone could reach the pinnacle of martial arts.

It seemed ridiculous that someone of that level would become a pirate and plunder the seas, and Zhou Xuchuan couldn’t help but laugh.

However, it wasn't necessarily that absurd.

The Eastern Pirates weren’t a small pirate group.

They were so large that they plundered across the entire seaboard of the East Sea and the South Sea during the fall of the Yuan Dynasty and the rise of the Ming Dynasty.

Even in the early days of the new dynasty, there had been frequent punitive expeditions against them.

More recently, pirate activity had increased to the point that the imperial court was once again considering a large-scale punitive war.

The Eastern Pirates were a martial force that committed plunder not only in the Central Plains, but also in neighboring countries like the Empire of the Morning Calm and the Eastern Islands.

So, if the leader in charge of the South Sea of such a force was weak—that would have been even stranger.

It was no coincidence that they were the ones keeping the Nine Water Gangs from advancing into the seas.

Fang Jun had been born as the youngest son of the infamous pirate Fang Guozhen and was raised with all kinds of support. He was talented in his own right and had fought in many battles throughout his life of plunder.

"Harmony Realm?"

Fang Jun was equally surprised when he saw Zhou Xuchuan.

He hadn’t been able to follow the movements of the crazy brat standing before him. Now that he thought about it, he couldn’t even guess what realm the brat was in.

No, this isn't the time!

Surprise created openings.

Fang Jun understood this better than anyone. He had used this principle countless times—taking advantage of people’s disdain for pirates to lower their guard, or using their shock and fear to take their lives.

"Brat, you're quite impressive."

Fang Jun quickly backed away.

I can't back down in front of my underlings.

It wasn’t just a matter of pride. In the world of pirates, or thieves in general, the moment one was looked down on, it was over. They would eventually be betrayed.

Fang Jun had also been looked down on before and was stabbed in the shoulder by a subordinate he trusted.

So now, he feigned indifference, suppressing his surprise and putting on a calm, relaxed front.

"But to think that you actually came running to me without going through anyone first, we should fix your bad habit."

If he's among the strongest of the Harmony Realm, I’ll need to wear him down a bit first.

Fan Jun's meridians were tingling since he had been forced to use his defensive qi barrier so abruptly. He needed time for his meridians to settle.

He looked down at Zhou Xuchuan as if the brat was being rude, and gave his subordinates an order.

"Take him down and bring him to my feet!"

Right as Fang Jun's shout began, the other pirates roared.

The pirates gathered around Duan Lihua.

"Keke, that bitch is so pretty."

"Do you think the captain will let us have a taste after he does?"

"Oh, that girl's beauty will never get old."

Perhaps because they were pirates, their speech was rough. With a woman in front of them, all they could do was use all kinds of sexual insults and vulgar language.

"I can't understand what you're saying."

However, the person in question, Duan Lihua, didn't understand the comments they were making.

"It's okay if you don't know."

Hainan Island had engaged in frequent exchanges with other nations since ancient times. As a result, some people had learned foreign languages.

Zhao Yangxian was one of them. He was able to somewhat speak the Eastern Island's language.

"I don’t understand the exact words, but judging by the atmosphere, I think I get the gist."

Duan Lihua smiled and raised her qi.

"Good. I'll make you feel that

high

as much as you want."

"Guys, be careful not to hurt the woman..."

Squelch!

"U-ugh!"

The pirate couldn't finish his sentence and grabbed at his neck.

Blood gushed from the sword wound on his neck. Those eyes, filled with lust, widened in shock.

"As expected, I see what the Sword God meant."

Duan Lihua nodded as she retrieved her sword.

She had originally intended to cut off the pirate's head, but to her surprise, she had missed. It wasn't a mistake, but rather because of the movement of the ship.

"This bitch!"

The seven other pirates rushed toward Duan Lihua.

"Young Lady!" Zhao Yangxian shouted urgently, trying to help her. However, he soon realized that it was a useless worry.

Thrum.

Duan Lihua moved like flowing water as she activated her footwork technique.

At first glance, her movements seemed slow, but in truth, they were incredibly fast. She almost appeared to float, as if she were flying.

The Qingcheng Sect's Flying Flow Steps!

Zhao Yangxian couldn’t take his eyes off Duan Lihua's movements.

While her incredibly high-level footwork technique was impressive enough, what was even more amazing was the sword technique that unfolded next.

Shing!

Duan Lihua swung her sword horizontally.

The deep blue sword qi flowing out of her blade spread thinly and widely, sweeping over the surroundings like waves.

Boom!

"Ugh!"

"Agh!"

The blue waves were gentle, but cruel.

Those caught in the waves of sword qi were left with deep lacerations across their bodies, as if ravaged by countless blades.

Seventy-Two Waves Sword!

It was the ascension sword technique of the Qingcheng Sect, which was considered the best technique within the sect, and the reason Duan Lihua was given the nickname of Wave Sword Phoenix.

All seven pirates fell to the deck immediately, blood pouring from their wounds.

"..."

The pirates’ smiles vanished. The grinning faces from moments before were gone, replaced by frozen, stiff expressions.

While the Flying Flow Steps were impressive, the sword technique that had taken out seven men in a single strike was even more terrifying. It sent chills down their spines.

Through the influence of the Central Plains, about half of the Eastern Pirates of the South Sea had trained in martial arts. However, their skills were far inferior to those of the Central Plains.

Except for a few of their leaders, like Fang Jun, their cultivations were average. So it was no surprise that they were paralyzed with fear.

"While the rocking certainly is a bit annoying, thanks to the Seventy-Two Waves Sword, it's not enough to be a problem."

Duan Lihua tapped the ground with her sword and shook off the blood.

The principles of the Seventy-Two Waves Sword were somewhat similar to sound arts.

The best way to describe it was to compare it to the techniques of the Sound God, Shao Leijin.

If Shao Leijin created physical destructive power through vibrating air and sound, Duan Lihua used the waves created by her sword qi as her medium of destruction.

To handle these invisible waves of sword qi, one had to understand the flow of qi and the subtle tremors of the sword better than anyone.

A type of body control technique, the Seventy-Two Waves Sword allowed one to become sensitive to the waves and vibrations of qi as they cultivated, allowing one to eventually control them.

As the movement of the ship was also caused by flowing water, adapting to it became easy once she understood how the boat rocked.

"Do something about her!"

"Shoot her limbs with arrows!"

The pirates hesitated as they shouted at each other urgently.

Twang.

One of the Eastern Pirates on a nearby ship pulled back his bowstring and loosed an arrow. His aim wasn’t bad.

Clang!

"Oh dear, thank you."

Duan Lihua smiled at Zhao Yangxian, who had blocked the arrow.

"

Ahem

. It was nothing."

Zhao Yangxian, who had been regretting following them just moments earlier, was still but a helpless man. So when Duan Lihua thanked him, he simply smiled and responded happily.

"Then, shall we just deal with this until the other side is finished?"

Duan Lihua wasn't called a genius for nothing. She not only had a deep understanding of cultivation, but she was also a skilled fighter.

She slowly got used to moving on the boat, finished fine-tuning her control, and fought while rationing her qi.

Every time she used a sword technique, the screams of the pirates followed soon after.

W-what’s with them?

Meanwhile, Fang Jun’s eyes were wide in disbelief.

I mean, just how many of those types of masters even exist?

It was said that one had to be careful of any beauties in the

gangho

, but he never could have expected that girl to be this strong.

Even at a glance, her movements, no, her cultivation, wasn't ordinary.

He pinched his cheek to see if it was a dream, but the sting only made his confusion worse.

"Ugh!"

"Agh!"

"C-captain!"

Duan Lihua was powerful, but Zhou Xuchuan was completely overwhelming.

Whether there were ten or a hundred of the pirates, those numbers were meaningless in front of the Absolute Masters of the Seven Empyrean Overlords. While their martial arts were unfamiliar due to being techniques from a foreign country, they were still predictable.

Every time Zhou Xuchuan swung his sword, pirates fell like autumn leaves. The pungent scent of blood erased the salty smell of the sea.

Splash!

Some even fell off the ship and sank beneath the water. Moreover, it wasn’t just one or two—it was dozens.

"We can't hold out anymore!"

"Just what the hell is with those bastards?"

As time went on, the number of casualties increased, and the pirates who had once ruled the rough seas now looked terrified.

Finally, deciding he couldn’t wait any longer, Fang Jun shouted helplessly.

"All of you, get out of the way! I, the Great Pirate of the South Sea, Fang Jun, will deal with him!"

"I was getting tired of waiting for you."

Zhou Xuchuan greeted him as if he had been waiting for his arrival.

If he had wanted, he could have finished off the pirates and confronted Fang Jun immediately. But with five other pirate ships nearby, he deliberately chose to showcase his overwhelming cultivation—both to toy with the pirates and to prevent the others from getting any reckless ideas.

"Captain!"

"Boss!"

"Eldest Hyungnim!!"

Pirates called out to Fang Jun from all directions. The pirates weren’t just from the Central Plains—mixed in were voices speaking the languages of the Empire of the Morning Calm and the Eastern Islands.

"I don't know what a brat like you is planning, but that great life of yours ends here. I'll finish you off in a single breath."

Fang Jun stepped forward with his left foot and slid his right foot back.

The Eastern Island saber he held in his hands was called a nodachi, a long saber with a blade that was over three chi long.

The blade was curved like a scimitar and had a single edge, like a typical Eastern Island saber. It carried a foreboding presence, as though it could cut someone with the slightest touch. The center of the blade had a wave-like pattern, resembling a crashing wave.

It seemed perfectly tailored to Fang Jun, whose body was tall and broad.

"South Sea Single Blade Flow."

Zhou Xuchuan said Fang Jun's saber technique name in his pirate's place.

"Oho, so you recognize my saber technique," Fang Jun said, proudly puffing out his chest in arrogance.

The South Sea Single Blade Flow was a saber technique created long ago by a warrior on Hainan Island. It was influenced by both the sword techniques of the Hainan Sword Sect and the saber arts of the Eastern Islands.

At one point, it had dominated the martial arts scene of Hainan Island, but over time, it disappeared into history.

The technique had drifted across the island, eventually being plundered by the Eastern Pirates and falling into Fang Jun’s hands.

Before setting out to hunt the pirates, the Hainan Sword Sect had provided Zhou Xuchuan with relatively detailed intelligence.

The South Sea Single Blade Flow is a saber technique that focuses on iaijutsu.

[1]

Since it entails putting all of one's momentum into a single slash, you just have to dodge it through any method in order to win.

While there was the option of blocking the attack using one's defensive qi barrier, since ancient times, techniques that placed everything into one blow were never ordinary. In terms of power, they were often overwhelming. So, just to be safe, the advised strategy was to avoid it.

That wasn't as easy as it sounded, but it was still feasible given the reflexes and physical abilities of a Coruscant Realm Master.

"Now, you have nowhere to run. The water's full of sharks thanks to all the commotion you made."

Fang Jun laughed.

The scent of blood from the slain pirates had drawn the sharks.

"Before I cut you down, I have something to ask you."

"Ugh, you really do talk too much. Fine, ask."

"It looks like you're one of the One Hundred Experts Under Heaven of the Central Plains

murim

. What's your name?"

Fang Jun planned to kill the child in front of him and increase his reputation.

No, there's a chance he's not a kid.

A martial artist who achieved the pinnacle of martial arts aged slowly. Even though the boy in front of him looked young, he most likely in his thirties or forties.

"Zhou Xuchuan of the Mount Hua Sect."

"...?"

Fang Jun flinched.

"What?"

"Zhou Xuchuan of the Mount Hua Sect."

"..."

Beads of sweat formed on Fang Jun's forehead.

"Captain?"

The pirates sensed something was off and turned toward Fang Jun, puzzled.

Zhou Xuchuan tilted his head.

"What, do you know me?"

Well, it was understandable as he was one of the Seven Empyrean Overlords.

"W-what a funny joke," Fang Jun stammered as he carefully studied Zhou Xuchuan’s face, inch by inch.

"T-t-t-t-t-t-there's no way that someone who should be on Hainan Island right now would be here. Don't lie."

"That's..."

Zhou Xuchuan began to reply but then closed his mouth. His eyes narrowed sharply.

Hainan Island? Not the Central Plains?

The fact that he had left for Hainan Island was an extremely recent development only known to those within the loop. It wasn't information someone would be able to find without an intelligence network at one's fingertips.

Zhuge Xiang had even taken special care to control the spread of the information. It was extremely strange that it wasn't someone from an intelligence group of the Central Plains, but a pirate from the South Sea who knew about this.

It hadn't even been that long since he had arrived at Hainan Island and helped the Hainan Sword Sect. Among the forces of Hainan Island, only the Hainan Sword Sect should have been aware of his arrival.

"Just who the hell are you..."

Splash!

What happened next took everyone by surprise.

Fang Jun threw away his nodachi and jumped overboard.

"C-captain?"

The pirates looked down at Fang Jun, who was swimming fiercely in a direction that was neither toward Hainan Island nor the Central Plains, dumbfounded.

"Shut up! You idiots be the captain!"

"C-captain! The sharks! Sharks!"

"Sharks? Fuck! I'd rather fight a school of sharks!"

Fang Jun looked up at Zhou Xuchuan, terrified.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Aaagh! Damn it! That's Zhou Xuchuan!"

And just like that, the Great Pirate of the South Seas fled.

1. Also known as battojutsu, iaijutsu refers to quick-draw techniques that allow for the sword to be drawn from the scabbard and block, cut, or thrust in the same motion. The term is also used for sword styles that deploy such techniques, particularly sword styles from before the 20th century (newer ones are usually referred to as iaido). ☜